With Meria flopped on the ground, X dropped too, sitting cross-legged beside her and listening with open fascination as she recounted all the souls she'd seen. She sounded like -- but she couldn't be, she didn't look like one, she was a dog, not a person -- but she really sounded like...

"That's silly too," X replied impatiently, waving the idea off. "Princesses and drama aren't just for girls. Meira, are you..." He swallowed, and leaned forward. "Are you a reader?"